Nightshade Collective: Bound Together
LoPress Press (Elaine Lopez) & Nightshade
Elaine Lopez, a Cuban-American graphic designer based in South Philly, brought a previously designed workshop titled "Bound Together" to her collaboration with Project SAFE’s Nightshade - a sex worker collective, started in 2016. Designed to help facilitate intimate conversations among people so they may get to know each other better, prompts like: “What is your name, and where did it come from?” and “Share your life story in four minutes.”, were printed on half sheets of paper. Participants were asked to fill these out solo or interview each other and write down their partner’s responses with a Sharpie. These reflections and Polaroid photos were turned into a zine, printed by Risolve Studio. This zine serves as a portrait of the members of Nightshade and a token of remembrance for the participants. For other readers, it serves as a brief glimpse into the lives, dreams, and aspirations of the sex workers who form this unique community in the heart of Kensington.